tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51610031439600861752024-03-12T16:04:23.553-07:00My Adventures at HomeCindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.comBlogger605125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-50128633472918636992017-05-29T17:43:00.002-07:002017-05-29T17:45:24.822-07:00To my son at his high school graduation<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: white;">As you know, we named you after my dear grandma Mac when I was halfway through my pregnancy. So, you were Max for about five months before you were even born. This is a thread in your life that connects you to a woman you only met once, but who shaped me, loved your dad and consequently shaped you. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Your first years were a mixture of tumultuous and steadfast. When you were 18 months old, your dad had been in three different jobs and you had already lived in four place plus we were at Aunt Diane's often enough to call it a fifth home. Amidst all those changes, you and I spent every single day together. We rode out the changes in stride. You knew your parents loved you and were there for you always. I am so thankful for this thread of constancy we have been able to give you because I stayed home. Without the steadfast provision, support and leadership of your dad, your entire life would be different. This thread is something we can almost ignore because it spans your entire life and there is no comparing it to its opposite: I was always home, thanks be to God and your dad. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">You were a sweet kid. You had energy and a sense of humor. You were sensitive and intelligent. You had obsessions and cared to be precise, something that seemed odd for a kid who could not yet speak clearly. You would become so frustrated when we would imitate your pronunciation in the hopes of guessing your meaning. These are the threads God wove into your being before you were even born. They are precious and make you you. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">When Madi came, you added to your personhood the role of brother. Big brother. So many people warned me about rivalry and jealousy. It was assumed you two would fight and have nothing in common since you were boy and girl. Well, didn't you prove them all wrong! You were the best big brother from the very first time you met. You were careful & attentive; you shared with and delighted in her. She was your baby sister and you never looked back. Another thread hooked into the fabric of your life as though it had always been there. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">That is when you and I began to school. We did it our way. No one schooled quite like we did, but it was perfect for us. You loved to learn and you loved stories. As long as you were allowed to wiggle up one wall and down the other, you were golden. Again, there were nay-sayers who thought I was making up your accomplishments since they could not understand what you were saying and could not believe anyone moving as much as you did could retain anything being said. But I knew. Daddy knew. God knew. Aunt Diane knew. Grandpa Danny knew. The threads of your academic accomplishments are beautiful and unique. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Speaking of Aunt Diane, she was the one who first said you would make your life all about words. She believed that the challenge in talking made you a peerless communicator. God wastes nothing. He works all things for your good. The challenges in speech Diane knew were part of the beautiful tapestry God was creating to be your life. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">You didn't always fit in with kids your age. You couldn't always make people understand you. These struggles meant you didn't mock people who were different. And you didn't need people to be exactly like you to connect with them. More threads included that make you tender, approachable and open-minded. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">You did at least 16 years of school in twelve. I don't even know how to calculate the time you spent at college while wrapping up your high school years. These threads of academics, learning, hard work and time well spent give strength and shape to the fabric of your life. You have the proven ability to persevere, give your best and go the extra mile. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I am going to break with the thread analogy for a moment. Max, you are capable of so much. You have accomplished so much. You are amazing. But all that has gone before was just the training ground. It mattered. Believe me, it mattered!! Can you imagine soldiers facing a battle without having been through boot camp? Remember what the author of The Outliers said about all the people who are success stories? They could never have done what they did without the thousands of hours in training. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">You trained well. But training is made worthless if training is all there is. Fifty thousand hours of piano practice is pointless if the pianist never plays. Four sturdy legs are literally firewood without the board to make the table. So what comes next for you is what matters now. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I am eager to see what you do with these 18 years. I pray with all my heart you press deeply into the Holy Spirit and breathe in His companionship and guidance. I hope you share yourself with the world God brings you to. Banish fear from the driver's seat. Kick laziness to the curb. Keep the slate clean by regular confession and honest relationships with people who will love you enough to hold you accountable. You are far too valuable to waste and I think fear and lazy are two enemies who lust to lay you flat. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">You leave in a week to your first job, first time away from home, first independent ministry. It is mind boggling to think of what you are engaging in this summer. New people, new challenges, new accomplishments, new skills, new wins. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I know you will mess up. But, you are like David, who God called a man after His heart. I know you take good care of your conscience, which takes good care of you. You will handle the mistakes with immediacy, honesty and humility. And that will be another win. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">So far, there is a beautiful tapestry made of countless threads representing people, books, experiences, fears and dreams. But what has been woven so far is merely a framework for what comes next. It is like the straight edges in a puzzle, we can see the border. You get to fill in the middle, the real picture. You get to decide how the frame will relate to the subject, the message, your life. I can hardly wait to see what you make. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I love you, Max. Forever and for always. </span></div>
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Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-61569366316027186322017-02-15T10:17:00.003-08:002017-02-15T10:17:51.340-08:00I miss you. <span style="color: white;">Diane,</span><br />
<span style="color: white;">I wish I could talk to you. You have been gone over two years and your birthmonth is approaching. I dread it. This grief is threatening to define me and I do not want that. You and God wouldn't either, I know. Maybe those are the only reasons I don't want it. And that my family deserves better. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">A lot has happened to me since you left that I wish I could have talked with you about. Big things have happened like deciding to move (truly a big thing by itself) and then actually moving. Brian's job change has been so challenging. The adjustments the kids have made are admirable. I became a mentor, which is simultaneously exciting and laughable. I am anxious about a medical exam and I could really use your guidance in how much grace I should give myself. See? Just that sentence would have set you off on a sermon. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Max is graduating high school and turning 18. Eighteen!! We are fast approaching the last day in all the world that I can say my son will be an adult in months! Other big things is that a guy wanted to ask Madi out and Brian told him no. Then it happened again months later and Brian said yes. Then Madi said yes, so she is going to a high school dance this weekend. My little girl is going to a high school dance! That is something this homeschooling momma never anticipated. Nor did I expect to have a 15 year old girl going on a date of any sort. I would like to talk with you about it all in excited rushes and in quiet confessionals. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The kids are so full of personality. They make me laugh and I know you would love to listen to their ideas. They take becoming adults seriously, but attack the tasks from such different perspectives, it is fascinating. I would love your wisdom in how to best mother them through these transitions. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">My marriage is really good. Work, for sure, but shockingly, blessedly good. We are so thankful for the hand you still play in that truth. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">We are going to buy a car. Since we haven't done that in 15 years, that qualifies as a big thing, too. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">But even more pressing are all the little things. The nothings that do not even need to be talked about are what I want to talk about. I miss you much because of these. Yesterday my poop looked like a circumcised penis and I think you would have liked to have known that. I came up with a game show idea called 'Do You Trust Yourself?' and NO ONE has any interest in hammering out the details with me. Just because my initial plan involved wiping a contestant's memory. What's with that? Ever since Caleb gave me whooping cough, whenever I get sick, my lungs snore. I want to tell you my thoughts on Grimm since you wanted me to watch the show so badly and I refused. I finished HIMYM just for you, too. I couldn't do Hawaii 5-0, though. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Walking across the many bridges at my apartment complex in the rain scares the shit out of me. They are so slippery and I think falling would ruin more than my day. It rains every week here and never snows. It is an effort to not be burdened by that. It rains all day and all night. All night. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Our new neighbors got two dogs and one is a pit! Part of me wants to rip my shirt open in the ever-falling rain while collapsing to my knees and wailing 'Why?!?' to the sky, half hoping to drown like a stupid chicken. The other part is all fat little determined Disney fairy, determined to go all out Jesus on their asses. Like, I am gonna learn whatever lesson God has for me so that I never have to live under a fricken dog for the rest of my life!</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Oh, I really want to tell you about Buttercup. She is precious. Glimpsing from my angle into the foster system stirs up so much in me, it would be such a help to talk it all out with you. There are quite a few things I cannot even bring myself to type that I would talk with you about. These things are so mysterious and confusing that I only whisper them to God and Brian. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">We started attending a new church. We want to be involved in a church family so much but we are terrible misfits wherever we go. I have hope and fear that I would really like to carry to the Throne with you. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Brian is sick. So.... you know. That sucks. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">I could really use your words, too. I want to hear about David and Kiso and Cher. How you are proud and when you are concerned? I want to pray for your friends who are moving through crises. I want to be inspired by your choices to grow. And I could stand to hear one more sermon on how great I am. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">I want to end this like David did, with praises to God. He supplies. He is faithful. He is loving. Yup. All true. But I still miss you. </span>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-24562799552975251572016-02-27T13:07:00.001-08:002016-02-27T13:08:57.177-08:00Three Lessons<div style="font-family: uictfonttextstylebody; font-size: 28px;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">“A soft wind from the south began to blow, and the men thought that they could carry out their plan, so they pulled up the anchor and sailed as close as possible along the coast of Crete. But soon a very strong wind — the one called “North-easter” — blew down from the island. It hit the ship, and since it was impossible to keep the ship headed into the wind, we gave up trying and let it be carried along by the wind. We got some shelter when we passed to the south of the little island of Cauda. There, with some difficulty, we managed to make the ship's boat secure. They pulled it aboard and then fastened some ropes tight round the ship. They were afraid that they might run into the sandbanks off the coast of Libya, so they lowered the sail and let the ship be carried by the wind. The violent storm continued, so on the next day they began to throw some of the ship's cargo overboard, and on the following day they threw part of the ship's equipment overboard. For many days we could not see the sun or the stars, and the wind kept on blowing very hard. We finally gave up all hope of being saved.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Acts 27:13-20 GNB</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;">Life is not fair. You will have problems, difficulties, and hurts that will make you better or bitter. You will either grow up or give up. You’ll either become who God wants you to be or your heart will become hard. You have to decide how you are going to respond to the tough times in your life. How will you handle it?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;">When you go through those difficult times, what happens to you is not nearly as important as what happens in you. That’s what you take into eternity — not the circumstances but your character.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;">In Acts 27, we learn three ways you shouldn’t respond:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;"><strong style="-webkit-touch-callout: none; line-height: 1.5em;">1. Don’t drift.</strong> “The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along” (Acts 27:15 NIV). The ship carrying Paul and other prisoners to Rome was in the middle of the Mediterranean and hadn’t seen the sun for 14 days, so they couldn’t get any bearings, and they started to drift.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;">When they face difficulty, some people start drifting through life. They have no goal, purpose, ambition, or dream for their life. Today, we call this “coasting.” The problem with coasting is that you’re headed downhill. Life is not a coast. Life’s tough. Don’t lose your ambition or your dream just because life gets hard.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;"><strong style="-webkit-touch-callout: none; line-height: 1.5em;">2. Don’t discard.</strong> “We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard” (Acts 27:18). The men in charge needed to lighten the ship, so they threw the cargo overboard, then the tackle and the food. They were discarding things they needed because the storm was so tough.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;">When you get in a storm and the stress gets unbearable, you tend to start abandoning values and relationships you would not let go of in better times. You say, “I’m giving up on my marriage. I’m giving up on my dream to go to college.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;">God says, “Stay with the ship!” Have you done that in your marriage? Have you said, “Divorce is not an option for us. We’re going to make it work.” If you haven’t, you’ll always be tempted to walk out. If you don’t throw away the key, you’ll never develop the character God wants you to have. God can change situations and personalities. He can change you. But he won’t if you’re always abandoning ship! I’ve learned from personal experience that it is never God’s will to run from a difficult situation. God wants you to learn, grow, and develop. Stick with it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;"><strong style="-webkit-touch-callout: none; line-height: 1.5em;">3. Don’t despair.</strong> “We finally gave up all hope of being saved” (Acts 27:20). After 14 days in total darkness and after giving up their cargo, tackle, and food, the passengers finally give up hope. But they’d forgotten one thing: Even in a storm, God is in control. He hasn’t left you. You may not feel him, but if you feel far from God, guess who moved?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #eeeeee;">God is with you in the storm, and he’ll help you through it. He is testing you to see if you’ll trust him. Will you pass the test?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Earlier in this plan, "God's Dream For Your Life," Rick Warren used the passage immediately preceding this one to teach how we should obey God. He taught that Paul had given a word from God to not sail that season, but the sailors did anyway because they trusted the "experts" and the changing circumstances over Paul's warning. As I read that lesson to my kids, along with all the others from this plan, we were blessed by the encouragement.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Now we find these same characters used for another lesson. I disagree with the applications Rick supplies. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">To begin, the three accusations against the sailors were behaviors wholly appropriate to sailing. In a storm, as when hitting black ice, one does not resist the gale (or skid). I agree wholeheartedly with Rick's teaching to not drift. I object only to the reference and analogy. It is true that without a goal, there is no direction; without direction, we are taken along by a fallen world. This is not the life of a believer and follower of Christ!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The next point is to 'not discard', siting the sailors' acts of lightening the load to avoid sinking. Again, I am pretty sure this was a wise move on the part of the sailors. Paul does not object, as he does later when they try taking to the lifeboat. So, it is a bad example for the lesson. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">And here, I can only agree with the lesson conditionally, and on one point I must disagree vehemently. The general lesson to stick out difficult situations is a good one. If quitting is always an option, then it will likely become reality, especially if quitting is the plan when things get 'too hard.' It will always get hard and who gets to define what is too hard?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">But the author then says, "it is never God’s will to run from a difficult situation." This is simply not true. Peter was spirited from jail. Jesus escaped both a stoning and a crowning! 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God will provide an escape from temptation (which I personally define as a hard situation). 2 Timothy 2:22-24 tells us to flee temptation. In fact, Rick Warren himself gives a teaching to leave situations and choose friends wisely in this teaching here: http://rickwarren.org/devotional/english/don-t-fight-temptation.-flee-it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I want extreme caution taken whenever teaching about escaping or avoiding difficult situations. It is a good and worthy lesson, but is so very dependent on circumstances and requires such intimacy with our Lord for discernment, that a blanket instruction seems foolish and dangerous. Considering the staggering statistics on the perpetuation of abuses and addictions generationally, to advise someone (notably, someone with children) to stay in a home with addiction and/or abuse is to inflict untold harm on those children and the generation to follow. To bring it home, if I told my daughter to stay with her abusive husband because quitting is not God's will, I could be laying the groundwork for my grandchildren to be abusers of their own children! Generational curses are biblical realities that require attentive obedience to the Holy Spirit to break. Let us not perpetuate them with generalities as this. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">And, finally, the third point is one with which I can agree conditionally again. In the biblical account, Luke says they gave up hope of being rescued. I see this as a limited loss of hope and acceptance of truth, rather than losing hope in God altogether, as Rick characterizes it. They were not going to be rescued by a coming ship or even by a supernatural display of calming waters or walking on the water to safety. This was reality, and hanging to a false hope would have led to poor decisions. I cannot fault the sailors. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">To our own lives, hope is vital. But in what do we hope? This is key. I do not think Rick gives a clear indication of the distinctions here. We never need to abandon hope that God is near. We never should lose hope in our salvation or the goodness of God or the promises of His Word. But we can and should embrace truth, which often may mean giving up hope in human-made plans and dreams. The truth sets us free. Holding to false hope is a prison that limits our vision and options and should be abandoned with vigor. </span></div>
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Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-71885326173051720822016-01-05T12:59:00.001-08:002016-01-05T13:01:23.645-08:00Your value is indestructible<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I am not sure I understand this. The opening line is terrific. Then I am not so sure....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The teaching begins with a lesson on forbidding bread to be on the table. It expands to encourage us to avoid (or 'keep off the table') things that are not of value. I can get on board with that. I have been inspired by the minimalist/simplify movements that advocate a 'museum' mindset to life over a 'warehouse' mentality. Quality over quantity, discernment, best over good.... I am with it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">But then the teaching says what makes one valuable is what one responsibly deposits on the inside. Wait... What?? So, *I* make me valuable or not valuable depending on how much I pray, who I call friend, what I eat and how long I spend on the treadmill?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Next we are lead to pray that we not harm our worth and after that we have to write five things that destroy our worth. Destroy our worth! Ouch!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I do not know about this. I am pretty sure that if even a bit of my value depends on me, then all hope is lost. I'm shot. Reading the teaching as a whole, it seems to imply that being fat destroys your worth. Oh, my!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Paul tells us in Romans that all fall short of the glory. We cannot make our worth, no matter how well we choose. When women struggle so much with feelings of worthlessness, poor body images, guilt and keeping up with the ever increasing demands of life, this teaching clothed in biblical wording seems harmful to me. What am I missing?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Day one from Proverbial Girl: Wisdom, Values and Being Fabulous</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">SAY WHAT? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">What you’re actually worth is more valuable than anything on the earth, and that’s priceless. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">BREAKDOWN: My kids love bread, and although I hate bread, I love it, too. I especially hate bread when they place it on the table at restaurants. I usually give the waiter or waitress the evil eye as I say to myself, “Now you know you’re wrong for putting that delicious, buttery, hot bread on my table”. As tempting and delicious as that bread is, it has absolutely no nutritional value. So, I stopped allowing the servers to put it on the table altogether. “For her worth is far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">How is this possible, and what makes this Proverbial Girl so valuable? What makes her valuable is not what’s on the outside, but everything she responsibly deposits on the inside, like personal quiet time with the Father, healthy friendships, good mentors and even healthy diets and exercise. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">A Proverbial Girl must be willing to stop allowing things of no value to be placed on her table of life and be willing to invest quality “ingredients” on the inside. A Proverbial Girl also takes proper care of herself because she knows that her body, soul and mind are the temple of God. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">QUALITY INGREDIENTS + PROPER CARE= GREAT WORTH AND VALUE. Are you investing quality ingredients and taking proper care in your life? All of these things play a role in producing an excellent and valuable you. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">HI GOD, IT’S ME! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Thank you for being my example of greatness. All that you are is excellent. Show me ho w to be a person of excellence and great value. Thank you f or t he strength t o deposit good things in my life, and even greater strength to walk away from things t hat harm my worth. In Jesus’ name, Amen. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">LIVE IT OUT: Take a moment to write down 5 things that make you valuable and 5 things that can destroy your worth. Make a conscience effort to be more involved in the things that make you valuable and begin to pull away from the things that can destroy your value.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I have showered and have more to say! Lol</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">First, I think many of the elements in this teaching are spot on. Prayer and Bible time are valuable and whatever you may need to sacrifice to get that into your daily life is probably worth it. Healthy friends who encourage you into the arms and truth of Christ are more precious than rubies. Get 'em and keep 'em. Eating well and exercise are very good manifestations of the truth that you are valuable and the shell that houses you on earth is worth the upkeep. I am not pooh-poohing these practices. Jesus said to seek His Kingdom first and all these other things will be added to us. So do go after the best without distraction!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I also agree that avoiding excess and harmful influences is wise and worth it. The Bible tells us to flee from temptation. Drugs, toxic relationships, idols of any kind that bind you to this world should be vigorously avoided. Jesus says whatever good things we may give up to follow Him will be regained. (We can assume bad things we abandon for Him will remain rubbish.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">So, while I agree with much of the suggested practices championed, I protest the motivations this teaching emphasizes. It is fear-based and perfect love (from God) casts out all fear. The author says things destroy your worth. I could not disagree more! I think our worth is more like a diamond than crystal. And I have a good reason. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Our value is indestructible because its *source* is indestructible. In fact, the Source of our worth has no beginning as well as no end. If our worth came from our friends and our diets, we would all be trash, eternal enemies to the Holy One. That is pretty much the crux of the Gospel foundation in the Old Testament, which makes this teaching as close to heretical as I can imagine. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Please do not let anyone lead you to believe that you can do anything to diminish your own value. You are worth the lifeblood of the beloved and only begotten Son of the King. What is worth more? Our weak eyes may see value smudged or disguised. Our value may be hidden. But praise be to God, His eyes never fail. Jesus is the Light, sitting at the right hand of our God, interceding for us, shining on us and revealing the glory He gave us through His completed work. It is done. </span></div>
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Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-69414453839453048182015-11-22T17:48:00.003-08:002015-11-22T17:49:46.452-08:00Poop might be just what you need!<div style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">“Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’””</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Luke 13:6-9 NLT</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">When the ax is ready, Jesus steps in and says, let me dig around her roots and poor fertilizer around them. If she doesn't bear fruit for another year, then I'll chop it down. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Jesus works to give us one last chance, but we may fail to recognize it, since from our point of view things will be quite uncomfortable. Who wants their roots disturbed? Who wants soil removed to expose the buried parts of oneself? When that is done, the final step is to apply fertilizer. We know how good that is for a garden, but would you sign up for having poop applied all around your core? I wouldn't. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">But without it, we won't bear fruit. And by 'it,' I mean digging, rousting, removing and exposing. I mean having stinky circumstances that are embarrassing, painful, confusing and life changing. These are the things that wake us up to an eternal perspective and inspire us to work more for the Kingdom than this ashen world.</span></div>
Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-89918312889490969722015-11-15T10:53:00.000-08:002015-11-15T10:54:50.334-08:00Who Needs the Church?<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">We are taught to have faith in God alone. We are taught to not rely on people for success or happiness because people fail. God is reliable because He is God. He never casts a shifting shadow (James 1:17). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He will not crush the weakest reed or snuff out a flickering candle (Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20). His word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). He keeps His promises (Deuteronomy 7:9). So, that is God. Trust Him. Obey Him. Rely on Him. He won't let you down. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">We are taught with equal emphasis to not trust people. We cannot realistically rely in others for our happiness or success. All that God is, people are not. (Romans 3:10-18) In fact Scriptures admonish people to not even trust their own hearts! (Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21) Wow! If we cannot even trust ourselves, it seems pretty foolish to lean on anyone else. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">But then there is the Church. This is where it gets really messy. -1-Trust and obey God, -2-do not rely on people, -3-the church (essentially the people of God) is God's gift to people to help them get through this life on fallen earth. What are we supposed to do with that?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">On the one hand, we trust God. I mean, let's say I am going skydiving for the first time. I listen to every word the instructor says like my life depends on it--because it does! So, as he hands me my gear, declaring, "you'll want these, that, and this," I will agree wholeheartedly that I want them all and grab up everything he offers. I'd be crazy not to. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">I trust God, and I am jumping into a free-falling world. So, I hang on to the Instructor's Words. I grab onto every piece of gear he offers and tuck them close to my body. I fix the earpiece firmly in place so that I will hear any further words of guidance. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">What is the equipment god gives? I see three main things that every Christian receives as help to live an abundant life here and now: the Holy Spirit, the Bible and the Church. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">The Holy Spirit is God in us loving us as Counselor, Advocate, Comforter. John 14:16 says "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." Further in the chapter, at verse 26, Jesus continues, "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">The Bible is the Word of God. It is a reliable, breathing text we use to grow one another up in the Lord. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">Now we come to the Church. We are the Body of Christ, reaching into this world with the Gospel of forgiveness, healing and reconciliation to the One True God. Jesus built the Church, and almost all of the New Testament is written to the Church. These letters were expected to be read to the gathering of believers. The instructions and encouragements are for all who call Christ Lord and Savior. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;"><b>Romans 15:14</b> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">Colossians 3:16</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">Luke 17:3</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">1 Thessalonians 5:14</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">All of Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 speak to the form and function of the church. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">After reading just these few excerpts, knowing there is so much more of the same, I am thinking the Church is some 'gear' that I will 'be wanting' to get me through this 'jump.' </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: large;">I have no issue with working alongside people who share truth and love, ministering to the lost. But here is the trouble. Remember all that wisdom from the beginning? Rely on God alone. He is my rock. My all in all. He says I need this Church, not only as co-workers, but as encouragers, companions and givers of love. They aren't co-workers. The Church is not a business. They are family (Ephesians 2:19). I am to submit to the people in my church (Ephesians 5:21). I am to confess to them and ask for prayers (James 5:16). These things call for interdependence, vulnerability and transparency. But the Church is made of people. People! Flawed, selfish, lying, betraying heart breakers. And I <b>need </b><i>this? </i> I'd like to argue.</span></span></div>
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Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-9131190119871183242015-11-09T15:24:00.000-08:002015-11-09T15:24:10.589-08:00Beware the yeast<div style="text-align: start;">
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NLT</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">“Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Remember Daniel's interpreting the king's dream of the statue with the clay and iron feet? We can read about it in chapter 2. In verse 43, we hear Daniel explain that the blending of theses two materials makes both weak. They do not mix at all, so it is just a whole mass of seams that work like perforations: highlighting weaknesses to be attacked. When I think about Christians trying to absorb the values and lifestyle of their culture, I think about iron and clay. What God offers is strong and perfect, like iron. The baked clay of human tradition is less so, by a lot. And they do not blend. We can try to comfort ourselves thinking that if we are attacked that the weak clay will be the only thing to crumble and the iron will survive any smashing. But picture it: what will the iron be after being crushed? Raw material, twisted remnants that cut and injure. The spaces that the clay occupied will leave gaping holes that separate the iron, leaving it strewn about without a form or a function. </span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">These are just my ponderings, though. The Christian life was never compared to iron and clay in the Bible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Jesus went further. </span></span></div>
<h2 class="extra_title" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-top: -10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Matthew 16:6-12; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1. </span></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jesus warns us to beware the yeast of Pharisees. What does that mean? Is it the people who are Pharisees? I do not think so, because Paul was a Pharisee, as was Nicodemus</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">. Jesus ate in the homes of Pharisees. Jesus also talked with, taught, and healed at least one roman's servant. He is not against people. He came specifically to save them.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But he did scold people. Why? For their practices and teachings! He does not like sin and really does not like people in authority leading others into sin. Jesus took special interest in Pharisees teaching and practicing laws that were added to Moses' laws delivered by God. Luke </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">11:46</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">, mark 7:7 ff. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">So, the yeast we must beware of is the teachings of the Pharisees. False teachings that do not blend with the Truth of God. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">One problem with man-made traditions is that they seem so harmless. More than that, they often seem good and wise. Just thinking about a new rule that will eliminate confusion brings sighs of peace. Men are pretty smart. We are creative. This is no surprise, since we are made in God's image. So our traditions often make a lot of sense! We go along because it is a well-worn path. And often, there is no conflict to our consciences in doing so. So, what's the problem? There isn't one; until we are lulled into trusting the ways of men. Have you ever heard anyone say, 'I do not know why we do it that way; it's just how we have always done it.' </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">That leads us to the other problem with man-made traditions: we cannot serve two masters. There is a point when there will be disagreement, and you have to choose what or who is supreme. Sadly, we realize this after following along so blindly and so easily for so long, our minds are asleep to the conflict. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In Galatians, Paul affirms Jesus' assertions to avoid the yeast that would re-enslave us after Jesus' work that freed us. He speaks specifically about circumcision, but I believe it is reasonable to apply it to any false teaching. </span>“For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.” Galatians 5:6-10 NLT</span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Yeast. It is a leavener that permeates every iota of dough to which it is added. There is no compartmentalizing. Remember those feet made of iron and clay? While not strong, and not blended, we can physically point to what is iron and what is clay. It is obvious. In a blend with yeast, however, there is no distinction. Yeast touches everything. You cannot make a loaf with yeast and find a piece of that bread without it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">So, when we try to blend the world with the Way, we have a real problem. Jesus said beware. False teaching comes in and touches everything. It is messy. And once in, it is hard to identify. It blends so smoothly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I would like to end with Psalm 101 by King David. It is easy to dismiss the idea of living this zealously because it talks about hating people and ridding the city of evil. Since The work of the Messiah, we are not to hate any people, and none of us has servants of any caliber. But does that mean we cannot internalize this Psalm for our own lives in Christ? Do we really want to be <b>this</b> focused on living for God? Listen to all the 'I will's. Will you?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-align: -webkit-center; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"></span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-align: -webkit-center; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"></span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-align: -webkit-center; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"></span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-align: -webkit-center; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"></span></span><br />
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<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">“I will sing of your love and justice, LORD. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will praise you with songs. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I hate all who deal crookedly; </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will have nothing to do with them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will not endure conceit and pride. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence. My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the LORD from their grip.” Psalms 101:1-8 NLT</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">Amen</span></div>
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Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-39325661239874593622015-11-04T14:04:00.001-08:002015-11-04T14:15:31.552-08:00Written All Over My Face<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 28px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<span style="color: white;">Revelation 22:4 reads: “And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads.”</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">This is a neat use of words. I do not think it is literal. I do not imagine we will be walking around with lettering on our faces.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Instead, I remember old cartoons of eyes turning into protruding dollar signs or pulsing hearts to express the character's all-consuming adulation and worship of an object. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">More realistically, I call to mind all the momma's faces I have seen when they first hold their newborns. Aren't the babies' names written on the faces of those sweaty, worn out, exultant moms? We do not even need to see the child when we look at mom. Everything that matters is already on her face. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: white;">I imagine this is what we will reflect when we finally get to stand in front of the throne of God. We will be reflecting back His glory, as the moon does the sun. But more! All metaphors will be gone, all analogy passé, all comparisons obsolete. We will be in the overwhelming reality of the realized promise. We will be living in a way these fallen bodies cannot. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">How I long for that day! Until then, I must continue to strive for His name to be written on this face I have now. I must wait with confident expectation that I will one day be in His presence with a new body that will withstand His glory. As I wait, I pray saving from distraction and urgency to invite others to wait with me. </span></div>
</div>
Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-24316557599661684632015-10-26T11:17:00.002-07:002015-10-26T11:30:50.212-07:00Communion<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I talked about Advent last week as a way to purposely infuse our own lives and hearts with the truth that God is the One True God and that it matters to our every day lives. Advent looks to the coming of Christ. We get to remember how He came to earth in an act of humility and love. Philippians 2:7-8 reads, </span>“Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (NLT)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We also get to look to a future when He returns again to bring about resurrection for life in a new heaven and a new earth. Isaiah first uses that phrase, as we see recorded in chapter 65, verse 17. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.” (NLT)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We see that John was given the same understanding. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”” (Revelation 21:1-4 NLT)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What wonderful things to look forward to!!! Praise be to God!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But Advent is a season, just a month out of twelve. And we should be living with eyes firmly set on the Promise all year long. How can we keep such focus?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Again, we look to Christ's example on how to do that. He gave us this gift we call communion and commanded we engage in this physical act as a church to center our minds and hearts on Him. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I find this amazing. First, Jesus gives instruction, like </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“... “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’””Luke 10:27 NLT.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then, He gives us the method to carry it out! “He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” Luke 22:19-20 NLT</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We read again: “For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NLT</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here we see that we are to love with every facet of ourselves and love one another. And then we see a way of engaging in a regular act to remind ourselves just what this life is all about: communion! A word for communion is the Greek word koinōnía and it means fellowship or mutual sharing that results in needing nothing more. It is a oneness of many parts. We see it in the Trinity, in marriage and in the church. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The church manifests koinōnía during the sharing of the one Body and Blood. As we engage in it regularly, according to Scripture, it spills into the rest of our lives. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a two-fold act of communion. The first is inward, involving our bodies, souls, minds, and hearts; we experience a communion of self, being in full agreement. Our bodies are doing what our hearts desire and our minds find reasonable. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The second is involving each other. We come together in peace with forgiveness, wanting good for each other. We share intimately and fully, agreeing that there is no better thing for us to be doing. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We go through these motions--fully engaged and alert--and doing so aligns us to Jesus' death, resurrection and coming again. We serve each other, look into one another's eyes. This says, 'Hold on. The end is not here yet, but when it comes, we will be ready and Christ wins! Do not give up.'</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We have talked about the word communion and the depth that the word has. I have another one for you. 'Thee' is a cool word. It means you. But, more. 'You' existed right alongside the word 'thee' and people chose which to use in each interaction. Originally, 'you' was plural and 'thee' was singular. But by the times of Shakespeare and the writing of the King James Bible, people used 'you' to speak with someone who was an acquaintance or stranger. It was used formally, keeping the receiver at arm's length. 'Thee', on the other hand, was for the closest of friends and family. There are people groups who continue to use these terms today. Pretty neat to read in the KJV people choosing to talk with God using 'thee', huh?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, just as we do Advent each year, we do communion each week. Just as with Advent, we choose how to experience it, as well. It is a steady diet of truth when we take part in this holy time together as Bride and Groom. Or, not. We get to choose. Will we go through the motions of a mindless ritual? Heaven forbid! Let us choose to involve our entire selves as we serve each other the "Body, broken for thee" and the "Blood, poured out for thee."</span></span></div>
</div>
Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-38613152509101074592015-10-18T21:24:00.002-07:002015-10-19T06:55:44.537-07:00Being Sanctified<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Advent and Communion both look forward to the coming of Jesus. Here I would like to talk about Advent. </span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Luke 16:9-13 reads as follows:</span>
</span><br />
<blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://biblehub.com/luke/16-9.htm"></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit
others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will
welcome you to an eternal home.<sup><a href="http://biblehub.com/nlt/luke/16.htm#footnotesc"><span style="color: #e6cdff;">c</span></a></sup></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">“If you are faithful in little things,
you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things,
you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy
about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if
you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with
things of your own?</span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">“No one can serve two masters. For you
will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the
other. You cannot serve both God and money.”</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">O Come, O come, Emmanuel is a popular
Christmas Carol that tells parallel stories that can help guide us today. The
lyrics of the first verse go this way.</span>
</span><br />
<blockquote>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">O come, O come, Emmanuel</span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And ransom captive Israel</span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">That mourns in lonely exile here</span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Until the Son of God appear</span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel</span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Shall come to thee, O
Israel.'</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Israel had rejected God and sought its
own way, the world's way. In becoming a pagan nation, it determined to refuse
a theocracy and chose the chaos of survival of the fittest, kings vying
for power. At the time of Jesus' birth, they were truly captives, living
dispersed. Those Jews who were in Jerusalem did so as subjects to the Roman
Empire. Jews in charge were in a delicate political dance with Rome. They were
only in charge as long as they submitted to the ruling empire. They were
captives in need of a rescuer. And there were God-lovers mourning in lonely
exile. And we know from the stories about people like Simeon and Anna that there
was great rejoicing when the long-awaited Messiah finally, finally came!</span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">American Christians are not so
different. Our history is of racial tensions that spill into significant
hate-filled violence in every decade of the country's existence. We make
justice more about politics than true righteousness. Our laws, courts and
prisons give grace to the rich and severity to minorities and the
disenfranchised. A casual observer could easily believe that Americans read the
Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 and instituted the exact opposite standards for
the meek, merciful, mourning, peacemakers, righteous and pure from what Jesus
prescribed. </span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We trust that 'someone' will take care
of the needy. In fact, according to the IRS website, from 2005 to 2010 average
charitable contributions went from 2.5 to 2.1 percent, totaling considerably
less than 2,000 dollars per income each year. One of the richest nations with
approximately 173 billion souls claiming to follow Christ, and these are the
numbers on charitable giving! How can that be? </span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I saw a statistic recently that said if
one family in three churches adopted an 'adoptable' child out of the foster care
system and the three churches committed to supporting that family, we could
effectively abolish the foster care program in the United States as an
institution that cares for children who age out of the system without ever being
permanently placed in a family. We can make a difference in this world.
Believing we can't excuses selfish living and fulfills that prophesy. </span><br />
<div align="justify">
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">All the while we are forgetting that
obedience is not about results.“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and
immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing
you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">1
Corinthians 15:58 NLT)</span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Can we take a
moment and be astonished that we actually stand tall and tell God no just
because we think it will not turn out the way we want it to?</span>
</span><br />
<blockquote>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">"Did you realize that you will find
about 800 Scriptures that deal with money in the Bible?<br />Jesus talked about
money more than He did Heaven and Hell combined. He talked about money more than
anything else except the Kingdom of God. 11 of 39 parables talk about money. 1
of every 7 verses in the Gospel of Luke talks about money." </span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">(</span><a href="http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/money-matters-kelly-benton-sermon-on-obedience-155200.asp"><span style="color: #e6cdff; font-size: large;">I
found the above excerpt from a sermon</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">)</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Money matters. We all know that loving
enemies and forgiving everyone are commands by God that, while difficult,
actually are for our benefit. We feel a peace and freedom when we obey them; so
much so, that even unbelievers advocate a life of forgiveness and mercy. Could
it be that the instructions on money, the singular area of life that God
actually invited testing (Malachi 3:10), are for our good, as well?</span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We are members of the eternal Kingdom
of the One true God. Are you happy about that? Can anyone tell? Are you as
burdened, stressed, unforgiving and greedy as your pagan family, neighbors and
coworkers? Have you invited Jesus to change your entire life? Do you even want
that?</span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I do not ask this to shame. I say it to
identify. We are steeped in a culture of sin. Some of it we have become very
comfortable with. And we need Jesus. We need Him to forgive us and transform us.
His blood washes us from sin and sets us before the judgment seat as righteous.
We just need eyes to see this truth so that we live it. </span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">We are here to be living testimonies to
a life of freedom that is possible on earth through Christ. But how can anyone
believe what we have to say when our own behavior betrays that we do not believe
it ourselves. </span><br />
<div align="justify">
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Christmas is coming and we have some
choices to make about how we will experience the Advent season. I guarantee we
all celebrate advent, whether you know or like the word. It means Coming. In
America, Advent seems to begin earlier each year and the focus is shopping,
movies, sweets and decorations: the coming of pleasure and consumerism. In the
tradition for Christians, Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and the
focus is on the Scripture, welcoming Jesus into our hearts and charity, which
means love. </span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">These things are in opposition to one
another. Jesus warned us in His great wisdom and care that we could not serve
both. This world tells us differently. We like buffets and fear missing out, so
blending a little from here and a little from there is super appealing.
Tempting. While it is not a sin to be tempted, it most certainly is to not flee
from it. What will the focus be for you? What of the world will be welcomed
into your homes, calendars and hearts?</span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Both the pagan* advent and the
Christian Advent extend beyond the Christmas season, but they are heightened and
glorified at this time that is fast approaching. We will choose no matter what.
A passive choice will never land us with Jesus, but it counts as a choice
nonetheless.</span>
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">*I use the term pagan to mean
non-Christian, referring to all who do not call on Jesus as Lord and
Savior.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-57612252582685776812015-02-15T07:43:00.001-08:002015-02-15T07:43:38.057-08:00Lent<div>Easter seems early this year. 😄</div><div><br></div><div>This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent, which is a forty-day season many Christians use to prepare/renew their hearts for Christ. </div><div><br></div><div>Traditionally people remove something from their lives (fast) and/or add something as a daily reminder to sharpen their focus on the True meaning of life (the Gospel of relationship and renewal). </div><div><br></div><div>Giving up something (soda, chocolate, TV, unforgiveness, gossip, harsh words, or whatever piece of this world that may be taking up too much room in your heart) also helps people remember what Christ gave up so that we can have eternal life and be reconciled to Him. (It could also reveal a 'serving two maters' mentality in your own heart. Ouch! 😣. Sometimes this world is very comfortable and enticing! Just the mental evaluation of what you could and could NOT live without for forty days can be revealing.)</div><div><br></div><div>Adding something (prayer, meditation, Bible reading, study, charity work, or even more vegetables, water, or exercise) for this time can help begin a lifelong devotion of welcoming the good of the Lord into the routine of life. </div><div><br></div><div>I know some Christians reject observing Lent because of its Catholic origin or legalistic look. I'd like to encourage you to look at the practice with an open heart and mind. Look at your own life with honesty to see if you could use any excuse to come together with other believers for a period of time to remove the secular, invite the holy and submit yourself more consistently to the transforming love of the Spirit. Would observing Lent cause you harm? Would it draw you closer to God Who loves you so unfathomably?</div>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-58246492573127955562015-02-11T15:59:00.001-08:002015-02-11T15:59:05.397-08:00Mean People<p align="justify"><font size="2">The concept that hurting people hurt people is not a new one. I have read more than one devotion teaching this idea—I most remember Joyce Meyer and Max Lucado. Even so, I think it bears repeating. This morning I read two blogs <a href="http://www.ravishly.com/2015/02/10/being-thin-didnt-make-me-happy-being-fat-does">here</a> and <a href="http://www.themilitantbaker.com/2015/01/why-people-hate-tess-munster-and-other.html">here</a> that touched on the topic and how it relates to body image. Both of these bloggers were speaking more specifically about how the marketed ‘ideal body’ doesn’t buy the happiness it promises. They did a terrific job on that topic and I recommend reading both posts.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I’d like to focus on one point both articles touched on that they used to help explain that all the hate for heavy people has to come from somewhere—and it ain’t happiness!</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">This is important: if you are fielding ugliness from others, ask yourself why. Happy people are typically too busy being happy to go out of their way to dump a heap of hate on anyone. This makes sense because, like I said, hate comes from somewhere. How can anyone with enough hate to spare ever be happy? They simply cannot. Hate is corrosive, it destroys the holder. Why is this important? Because it can help you know how to react most effectively; it can save you from perpetuating the hate.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Knowing the mean person is actually injured cuts through the chaos and affords you two invaluable pieces of information. First, the obvious: there is someone injured in front of you. That dictates a far different reaction than that of being attacked. You can respond with compassion, and maybe even a little first aid. This totally changes the balance of the interaction and it puts you in charge, instead of putting you on the defensive.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">That leads me to the other piece of info: the crap they spew isn’t true! Yeah, baby! Read that again. The hate and condemnation isn’t true AND… listen up! It isn’t even about you! Hate destroys the hater. You don’t have any obligation to pick up what they drop. Imagine injured animals. They can get pretty nasty, but a caregiver would never imagine taking the snarls and teeth gnashing personally; they merely signify need.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">So, next time some troll comes after you—on the internet or in the flesh, remember to keep your head. This hater is carrying around poison as a constant companion. That is sad. Be compassionate. Be kind. Be different. Just as important, don’t own any of that poison. Look at what is doing to the hater! Do you want to turn into that? I don’t think so!</font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-90912611210300964192014-12-13T05:51:00.000-08:002014-12-13T05:51:00.164-08:00Advent<p align="justify"><font size="2">Advent means ‘Coming’ and is the name of the church season just before Christmas, usually beginning with the fourth Sunday before December 25. There are Advent wreaths, candles, calendars and more to infuse each day with increasing anticipation. We anticipate not just the immediate Christmas Day celebration, but we also remember the first Christmas by reading about Zachariah, Elizabeth, the angels, Mary, Joseph, prophets, shepherds and wise men. The fullness of Christmas and Advent is realized when we turn our gaze to the future, when our risen living Lord will come once and for all. This is Advent: the preparation and anticipation of the coming Christ; past, present and future. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">For the years of my childhood in the Episcopal church, Advent was a foregone conclusion. We observed it every year, with all the proverbial bells and smells. As a young married couple, my husband and I attended a non-liturgical church that didn't use the word Advent, but still enjoyed several activities to build anticipation for the coming of Christ. We supplemented their offerings with our own Christ-centered traditions. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">This year, I asked my current church family members if they participate in Advent. Boy, the crickets were out in force!! No one knew what I was talking about and no one seemed particularly interested in hearing about it. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I've been thinking about what happened since then. I may have asked the question poorly. I should have said, '<em>how</em> do you celebrate Advent?' </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">The fact is, very few people living in America can escape Advent without making considerable effort. Christmas is everywhere from about Halloween to the end of the year. Songs, decorations, movies, shopping, parties, food, greetings... Unbelievers are often as into the preparations as believers, so how can believers say they don't prepare for Christmas? Why would they even<em> want</em> to say such a thing?</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I know some believers shy away from certain forms of terminology, seemingly fearful of being mistaken for the 'wrong' denomination. But if there is a time for the Church to be united, wouldn't the celebration of The Christ's incarnation be a good one? I would encourage all believers to educate themselves and learn some new words, because they aren't at all scary. If we know them, we can connect further with brothers and sisters in unified joy. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">The big question is <i>how</i> do we show that we are anticipating the coming of Christ, rather than just the coming of December 25? I mean, if Advent is all around us, we have the choice to be clear about just what it is we are anticipating with great joy! Jesus said we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13). John told us to not love the world or anything in the world, or we do not have the Father in us (1John 2:15-17). James reiterated that if we are friends of this world, we are enemies to God (James 4:4). Yikes! So if our preparations for a holiday central to our faith is formed by the traditions and impressions of this culture, consider if these are holy and acceptable forms of worship to our most worthy God and King. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I would encourage believers to set aside time each day of this joyful season to focus on the One worth our worship, Who brings peace to every heart that welcomes Him. The fact is, you are probably observing Advent either way; why not be purposeful and righteous in it?</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2"> We have a few traditions to help us remember it is Christ's coming that we anticipate. We most often begin with decorating the house to high-volume carols. We read one of the following each night: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jothams-Journey-Storybook-Arnold-Ytreeide-ebook/dp/B005ECSKI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418351760&sr=8-1&keywords=Jotham%27s+Journey">Jotham's Journey</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bartholomews-Passage-Family-Story-Advent-ebook/dp/B005F26YW6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418351760&sr=8-2&keywords=Jotham%27s+Journey">Bartholomew's Passage</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tabithas-Travels-Family-Story-Advent-ebook/dp/B005ELBJQ4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418351760&sr=8-3&keywords=Jotham%27s+Journey">Tabitha's Travels</a>. These are loosely linked stories of three young people adventuring through the month before Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, learning Truth along the way. We have a few favorite movies, including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Very-First-Noel-Voice-Griffith/dp/B000JMKKI6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418351846&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Very+First+Noel">The Very First Noel</a>. I like to go caroling, but we haven't managed it in the last several years. We do exchange gifts and play what we call the 'stocking game.' We talk about how Santa Claus is a legend borne from the inspiring life of a man who loved God and others. We have an Advent calendar where we add felt pieces to a nativity scene and an advent wreath with candles we light during our story time. In my personal devotion time, I add several plans that take me through prophesies and the Scriptures detailing the first Christmas. Among our most cherished traditions, we participate in several charitable activities. I prefer to observe the admonition to not let the left hand know what the right is doing (Matthew 6:3). But if you are looking for ideas, I invite you to check out your local shelters, the <a href="http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/">Salvation Army</a>, <a href="http://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/?redir=occ">Samaritan’s Purse</a>, <a href="http://www.worldvision.org/">World Vision</a> and other organizations. But charity doesn’t have to be only through large scale callings. Be alert and prayerful so that you may see the needs you can fill in personal ways.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">So, I put it to you. How do you observe Advent? If it isn’t something you have thought much about, realize that our culture is already leading you through the season. Maybe you can make some careful choices to permeate and persuade this world with love and light, rather than passively being invaded and occupied by all the things that Christ’s wonderful coming is not.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Merry Christmas!</font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-84915000591423203742014-12-12T05:39:00.000-08:002014-12-12T05:39:00.244-08:00The Flash<p align="justify"><font size="2">My darling husband was looking up the reviews to the new The Flash TV show. I thought he meant Flash Gordon. No. Then I wondered if that was the dude whose green shirt Sheldon often wears on The Big Bang Theory. No. So, obviously I don't know who the Flash is. I change tactics. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Is The Flash friends with Superman or Captain America? Superman. A-ha!! I dig deep in my geek-only-by-blood memory. Who else is friends with Superman? Batman? Yes! Wonder Woman? Yes! I am on a roll!!</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">The Twins? What twins? I can't lose my streak, so I insist: Wonder Twins unite!! Brian p-shaws. No, no no. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">What's wrong?</font><font size="2"> </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2">They were only in the cartoon; they’re not real!</font> <p align="justify">….. <p align="justify"><font size="2">Just what exactly is your definition of real, Babe?</font> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-16487016419406639692014-10-04T05:50:00.000-07:002014-10-04T05:50:00.038-07:00Christians Should be More Like Geeks and Bikers<p align="justify"><font size="2">We recently went to Ashland, Oregon to enjoy the Shakespeare Festival. It was an extraordinary trip that we will long remember and cherish. One of the first days there, my Whovian daughter just <em>had</em> to have this shirt.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DmJRiQVapgo/VCyoITwZUbI/AAAAAAAABuY/e5Lj5gS4ViU/s1600-h/Madi%252527s%252520dont%252527%252520blink%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Madi's dont' blink" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 5px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Madi's dont' blink" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EOgN01rXCg4/VCyoJE5y7iI/AAAAAAAABug/8hjenTlEB5g/Madi%252527s%252520dont%252527%252520blink_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="322" align="left" height="405"></a></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"></font> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"></font> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"></font> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"></font> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">You know I now have to include a picture that doesn’t boast of the shirt as well, but totally showcases her awesome bubble! </font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iNutHvIs7uk/VCyoJ5ahzKI/AAAAAAAABuo/nSe8Xzm0cJw/s1600-h/Madi%252520making%252520bubbles%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font size="2"><img title="Madi making bubbles" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 5px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Madi making bubbles" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IuEl7Q3bi50/VCyoKtZKr7I/AAAAAAAABuw/SLpNJ1JMnt0/Madi%252520making%252520bubbles_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="362" align="right" height="499"></font></a></p> <p> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Anyhow, of course she wore the shirt the very next day and we went down to breakfast at the hotel. In line for pancakes I saw another girl about four or five years older than my daughter check out her shirt and give a nod of approval. “Great shirt!” Immediate camaraderie was born. I watched the interaction between the two girls who were strangers with great interest. I know a lot of teenagers who wouldn’t give a younger girl a first glance. But this shirt put them on common ground. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">My husband has a similar geek shirt that plays on the Keep Calm theme. His says “…and Stay Shiny.” Diehard Firefly/Serenity fans just eat it up. I can’t count the number of conversations this shirt has started for my husband. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Driving to a different state gives you plenty of time to watch the road and do some thinking. Have you ever seen bikers pass each other? No matter the weather, the location, the speed, they always give each other a wave. There is again this foundational camaraderie established between strangers. A leather-bound dude sees a three-piece suit holding a helmet and there is a connection. I find it fascinating. They talk … well, I can’t even make up what they talk about because I am not a biker. They have a language and interest all their own and the passion acts as a ligament that brings two disparate people into association. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">And I wonder…</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Why aren’t more Christians like that? I do see it on occasion. I have this cool purse that I have gotten ‘knowing’ compliments on. But I also see Christians focus more on the things that divide. You are a Christian? Really? Do you dunk or dribble? Do you have priests or pastors? What do you think about women in leadership? I’d love to see us take a page from the geek handbook and just love that we love the same thing—the same One. I’d like us to see another family member and know we are all undeserving but traveling the best and only worthwhile road in all of life. How about a head-nod, wave and a ‘keep carrying on.”?</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">That’d be cool.</font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-28903562513016108692014-10-02T05:07:00.000-07:002014-10-02T05:07:00.392-07:00Comfort<p align="justify"><font size="3">That is just not my comfort zone, my area of expertise, or—if I wanna sound über-holy—it’s just not my gifting. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">These were my words. Whenever I didn't want to do something scary or new. I would sometimes put on a brave face and do something I didn’t like. But after consistently not liking it, I would declare in my most assuring voice that it simply wasn’t for me. I was made for other ministry.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">In theory there is nothing wrong with this. I am a big fan of saying no to even good things to hold out for the best. And I believe firmly that the Church has many people with many different gifts; no one person was meant to do it all. But this rationale only goes so far. I can’t use personal discomfort as an excuse to disobey.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Jesus tells us with His own voice in the Gospels and with many voices throughout the rest of Scripture to serve, to love, to care, to heal, to give. To whom shall we do these things? Even if it weren’t explicitly spelled out (Luke 14:12-14 <font size="2"><em>And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.“But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”</em></font> ), one can deduce that we are to serve those who don’t already have people doing stuff for them, love those who aren’t getting enough love, care for those who can’t care for themselves, heal those who are sick, and give to those who need something. Anything else is rather nonsensical. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">That means we have to go and be in the company of servant-less, loveless, helpless, sick, needy people. Generally speaking, it is safe to assume it won’t be a comfortable visit. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">My older sister is in a nursing home. It sucks. She is all of the things I listed and more. She is high maintenance as she battles brain cancer that is attacking her motor skills, drugs that rob her memory and reasoning skills, lonliness that renders her needy and chemo that ravages all that is left. The facility is understaffed and her family is busy with work and school. Life goes on as she lies in a hospital bed hoping someone will visit. Forget uncomfortable; it is a loathesome situation.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was a teenager I used to visit people in nursing homes with my mom. Boy, it was uncomfortable! I had real intellectual and ethical tangles with how to care for needy people while maintaining their dignity and respect. Ultimately I decided it just wasn’t for me. Not my gifting. Others did it better. I wouldn’t want to screw up.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Now my sister is in a nursing home. 2,000 miles away. I can’t do anything for her when she calls and asks me to come sit with her. I chuckle and keep things light so she won’t get discouraged. I send her verses and studies. I record myself telling her I love her. It isn’t enough.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Surely my Diane isn’t the only one in a nursing home who doesn’t want to be there. And there’s the rub. WHO on Earth WANTS to be in a nursing home??!? WHO would sign up for THAT? Bed sores and having to <em>ask</em> to use the rest room, hospital food and the mind-numbing monotony of the same four walls for…how long? </font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">That is when I could no longer deny it. Obeying Jesus isn’t about comfort, or natural gifts or skillsets. Jesus said do it. What we can’t pull off on our own, He is going to cover, right? Or do we not actually believe Him to be God?</font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">Think about His list: the widows, the orphans, the poor, the sick, the imprisoned… What do all these people have in common? Their choice has been taken away. None chose to lose a loved one, to be hungry or disabled. Even the worst criminal who deserves to be locked up for life has undeniably lost his choice to be where he wants to be. And our amazing, patient and merciful God just adores choice. It is central to the entire design of this universe and the life of every human being. Without choice, there is no meaning to life. God loves choice so much that He preserves it at an exorbitant price; many a man (and woman and child) has questioned if all the suffering in this fallen world is frankly too high a price for this gift.</font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">When God sees people lose this gift of choice, He calls His people to go <em>be</em>, to stand in the gap, even if only to witness the loss. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="3">I guarantee my sister never chose to be in a nursing home. I can no longer say that I won’t go comfort those who locally are in her situation simply because it is outside <em>my</em> comfort zone. What about <em>their</em> comfort zones? I may not have the gift for caring expertly for people who are disabled, but I bring with me the Gifter of all Gifts wherever I go. He’s got it covered.</font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-61313794793525132202014-09-16T12:55:00.000-07:002014-09-16T12:55:00.168-07:00Another lifestyle<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">Continuing on the theme from yesterday regarding the commitments we make that define our lifestyles, I’d like to include being a church on that list. So, we have—in no particular order—homeschooling, marriage, parenting and being the church. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">I think we have severely limited the scope and range of churching these days. So much so that it is reflected in our language. We now go to church, clean the church, and like the ambiance of the church on that corner over there. Most Christians know in their heads that church refers to people, not a location or structure, but our words reveal how we really think about it. Church is<em> there</em> or<em> here</em>. Today we are going to do such-and-such <em>at</em> the church tonight. Youth group meets Wednesday in the sanctuary; Bible Study for ladies meets Thursday mornings; Men meet every month for prayer and doughnuts at the back of the church; Sunday School for all ages is available between services in the classrooms.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">I think we need to remember that we <em>are</em> the church. If you are going to the church, it means you are approaching a group of people who love the Lord and are working as a unit to manifest Christ’s love to the world. If you can replace the word church with the word family, you might be speaking more accurately. “I am going to the church to ask for prayer,” doesn’t require a map or a key. And just like family, it isn’t something we can turn off, or check off of a to-do list. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">I do think church belongs on the calendar and should be visible in the check register, because church is important and deserves priority. Similarly, dates nights and just-because-gifts should be regular occurrences to keep a marriage alive. Shoe shopping and game nights belong in our lives if we are raising kids. But when we aren’t currently engaged in one of those particular activities, we are not less married, or less parenting. We can never be less the church. We always represent. We always are the body, the hands, the feet… Just like a wife can be a loving wife or a rude wife, she is always a wife. We may be lousy hands, lazy feet, but we are always the church. </font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-66679849029622753182014-09-15T11:02:00.000-07:002014-09-15T11:02:00.322-07:00Homeschooling as I see it<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">I am often tongue-tied when people who find out I homeschool tell me in a comrade tone that they, too, homeschooled… for a year. It takes all my self control to not pull this face:</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nEL6AIwHQGI/VBCsiYIZ80I/AAAAAAAABuA/h0h8Hg_rQGA/s1600-h/79012681f4bde086b0f2de7423d473fd%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="79012681f4bde086b0f2de7423d473fd" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="79012681f4bde086b0f2de7423d473fd" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wDfEK9axSzc/VBCsjLjssXI/AAAAAAAABuI/tKLV3gxG7Xg/79012681f4bde086b0f2de7423d473fd_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="289"></a></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">See, there are words that we toss about, but the meanings are so very different depending on who is using them. In this case, when a lady says she homeschooled for a year, to me it is equivalent to saying she parented for a year. Or a guy telling a couple celebrating their 50th anniversary that “I was married for 3 years and 5 months, so… I understand.”</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">The other thing that shows that the meaning of our words are so different: “We tried homeschooling, but it didn’t really work for us.” Again, apply that sentence to parenting or marriage and you can see how people use the same words, but think very differently. </font><font size="2" face="Cambria">Homeschooling, parenting, marriage—in the way that I think of them—are lifestyles. They are things to which we commit. And—this is a biggie—it is not for<em> them</em> to work for me. We choose a lifestyle and then <em>we</em> do the work. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">I don’t stay married until it becomes difficult or merely stops working for me. If I did, I would have been divorced over a decade ago. I don’t parent until I get inconvenienced. If I did, we would never have gotten past birth!! Similarly, we are homeschoolers. We are. We aren’t trying it out or waiting for it to get hard or hoping that it will work for us. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">I appreciate that homeschooling isn’t for everyone. I understand that sometimes we try things that we truly must abandon because it is a poor fit for our family. I don’t resent people schooling at home temporarily. But, like I said, I am really drawn up short when someone tries to compare notes with me as a homeschooler because they did it for a year or two. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">Homeschooling in the way that we do it is impossible to do in a year or even in five. It is a lifetime. It is a way of being, an outlook on all of life; homeschooling is a lifestyle. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">Homeschooling isn’t just about academics, books, schedules, college preparation or tests. But each of these things plays a role. Homeschooling isn’t about character, life skills or instilling a love for learning, yet these elements are absolutely essential to homeschooling when I use the word. Homeschooling this way takes time and encompasses every aspect of life, which is a blessing. Why? Because the bad things are are swallowed by the good. The rough seasons don’t define anything. The weaknesses have time to work themselves out. Deadlines don’t exist.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria"> You can’t compartmentalize it. There is no such thing as school time and not-school-time. I am never not married. I am never not a parent. I am never not a homeschooler. I like it that way.</font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-511774795340482672014-09-13T11:49:00.000-07:002014-09-13T11:49:00.310-07:00Respect<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">Exclusivity is a no-no. It is intolerant, narrow minded and offensive. We don’t like it when people speak too strongly about right and wrong, in and out. It hurts feelings, is judgmental and shows an ugly pride.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">The problem is that this notion is paradoxical. “We can be sure of nothing!” begs the question, “Are you sure?” The same is true with “There are no absolutes!” Yes, of course… “Absolutely!” See the problem? Exclusivity is a no-no. So, you are excluding those who exclude? It isn’t right to say that something is wrong? These arguments just don’t hold water.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">Of course, the notion behind most of these statements is that it is unkind to dismiss the beliefs of others or to outright condemn people for their philosophies and behavior. The preschool lessons to get along are well ingrained in our society, and haven’t really developed beyond a preschool mentality to just be nice. And who doesn’t think being nice is wrong all by itself? </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">What is ‘nice,’ though? Is it always agreeing all the time? That really would keep us all as preschoolers, never allowing ourselves to discuss anything beyond the most elementary (heh heh) topics. Most of us weren’t made for that. Life has complexities and we need to work through them. For us to live a life with any meaning, we have to make choices. Any choice for something is also a choice against at least one other something. If we bind ourselves to this idea that choosing against things, excluding, is offensive, we imprison ourselves in a false world of the ever-yes. It doesn’t exist and so it paralyzes us.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">So, we make choices. We must. And the choices necessarily exclude. We disagree. If we are going to graduate from preschool, we have to learn how to do this without being ugly. But we also have to grow up enough to allow OTHERS to choose and exclude and NOT be offended by it! The reason we teach three and four year olds to be kind in the form of inclusiveness is because they are spending time with other three and four year olds who are only just developing their fragile egos and necessarily require some tender handling. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">When I taught, I worked hard to not tell the kids their guesses were outright wrong, because in spite of whatever topic currently being explored, the real lesson was for the child to try, experiment and be bold. Getting the answer right was in fact irrelevant to my true goal, so I said, ‘You answered so quickly.’ ‘Keep trying.’ Guess again.’ ‘Look here for a clue.’ ‘Thank you for sharing.’ ‘So close!’ ‘I see why you can think that.’ ‘Have you thought about this?’ ‘I see you working so hard.’ ‘Don’t give up!’ Instead of using the word no, I would say yes, after… Or yes, as soon as… Or yes, once we…</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">This encouragement was always on my lips as my kids struggled to learn and grow and master. I modeled it and expected the kids in my care to use similar sentiments as they offered help to their peers. I wanted my kids to see themselves as able, to see the world as full of possibilities. The phrases that became part of my being conveyed sky’s-the-limit concepts that would best equip my kids to face challenges with confidence.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">I don’t regret this. I believe it is right and good. Eventually, however, the word no must be used. Limits are set. Choices are made. We need to teach kids—and be adults who model—to accept this without it crushing them. We have failed, in my opinion to handle this part of child rearing, and we now have a society of people who seem to LOOK to be hurt.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">One of the contributors to this easily offended mentality is the importance we place on the court of public opinion. We live to please others, to garner praise and recognition. So, when someone disagrees, it is a deeply personal blow. We have to realign our sense of selves to EXCLUDE the need for homogeny. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">My family chooses to not participate in our local soccer league. We have reasons; some are reasonable and others are totally emotional and reactionary. Regardless of our reasons and their validity, I am often astounded when I meet with hostility because of our choice. I have friends who have raised their voices at me because I don’t sign my kids up for this particular sport! Why on earth is this an issue? </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">Soccer is silly and passing. But what about bigger things that truly matter and have lasting impact? We have to be ok with people choosing creeds, lifestyles and philosophies that go against our own choices. We have to handle the disagreement as an honest disagreement without it being an affront. That means I don’t have to pretend that all choices are ok with me, and neither do you. It also means that I cannot place the obligation to keep me happy on every individual who lives in my city, state, country and world!! And, yet, that is essentially our final destination here: you aren’t a small-town, home-birthing, home-schooling, home-churching, stay-at-home-momming, family oriented, geekifying, game-playing, food-loving, mission-supporting, conservative-ish Christian person?? Well, fie on you! </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">See how lonely I’d be? Not to mention totally ineffective in any endeavor I’d like to accomplish.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">So, make choices that exclude and be honest about it. Allow others to do the same. Choosing a faith in anything other than Jesus Christ should not offend me even though I believe that Jesus is the only Way, Truth and Life. Being offended by Joe who believes differently dictates that Joe is obligated to smooth my ruffled feathers—a total paradox to what I claim!! If Jesus is the ONLY way, why would I allow Joe the power to upset me and require Joe to change in order for me to be at peace? That is a whole lotta Joe and a whole lotta me involved in a world view I purport to be Christ-focused. That is utterly nonsensical. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria">We have to stop blending the line between offense and disagreement. They are not the same.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Cambria"></font> </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TM3J-DqzWO4/VBCdJUUN-_I/AAAAAAAABto/FM2eRCEtCJc/s1600-h/f9b5c4decca5caa0f88418e975310e58%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="f9b5c4decca5caa0f88418e975310e58" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="f9b5c4decca5caa0f88418e975310e58" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gx_UqELXlzA/VBCdKCIcEvI/AAAAAAAABtw/lKxf0NTssaA/f9b5c4decca5caa0f88418e975310e58_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="461" height="362"></a></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-9939038707840921642014-09-10T09:39:00.000-07:002014-09-10T09:40:27.187-07:00Caregiving<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">Aside from my children, my two most favorite people are Brian my husband and Diane my sister. Aside from children, the only people for whom I have provided care are Brian and Diane. And, aside from the facts that they were in the position of needing care and needed it at the same time AND lived 2000 miles apart, the opportunity to provide care for each of them was ideal. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">I love them. Neither had pointedly diminished mental capacities. Neither had (at the point when I was providing care) lost bladder or bowel control. Both feel tenderly towards me. Both respond protectively towards me. I have a relationship with each that is intimate, relaxed and authentic. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">Because of this, I repeat, caring for my 'patients' was ideal. I know professional caregivers are under different circumstances. I know family members have to care for less pleasant 'patients' than I have. And I know the care I have provided has been extremely short term. So, for the third and final time, my caregiving experiences are ideal. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">Providing care merely was a natural response of love I have for two people who have loved me unconditionally since the day I met them. It was easy. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">It was hard. In helping them with basic needs--meds, toilet, shower, clothes, memory, bed--there was nothing awkward about being together, but their very need made them each vulnerable and somehow reduced. There is an almost innate loss of dignity in being unable to independently do the self-care tasks we mastered in our first years of life. As a caregiver, it seems important to give yourself to a degree to BE the person for whom you are caring. A caregiver needs to BE the 'patient's' hands, doing for them what they cannot. There is a corresponding non-physical element of self that is turned over to the patient to help restore that dignity. It is unspoken and even undefined. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">This unspoken component is a forever bond between caregiver and patient. I actually see this play out more in the care that my other family members are giving my sister. Through bits and pieces that are revealed, I am seeing only that there are large portions closely held in obscurity. I myself shield Diane and Brian by never speaking about some of our time together. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">Caregiving seems such a quiet thing. Even the one being cared for will never know what the caregiver does. They don't need to. It isn't about you, and they are going through plenty without needing to comfort the caregiver. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">This moratorium on discussion may be no burden to some, but for those of us who tend to process life through the use of words, it can be a challenge. But that is the nature of caregiving: it is all about self-sacrifice. The motto? "It's not about you."</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">For the purpose of caregiving, these are the facts, whether they are true or not: You are not sick. You are strong. You are well-rested. You have energy to give. You are clear headed and organized. You are patient. You are clean. You don't have anyplace more important to be. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">I found that even when there were truths to contradict these facts, the facts remained. I may have been tired, but it didn't matter when the meds alarm goes off in the middle of the night. I may be behind in my own med schedule and feeling a little wobbly, but if they were in immediate need, I was going to be able to wait until their need was met. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">And the ultimate fact that supersedes all others? You never judge. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century"> I may not choose something for myself, but I just could NOT stand in judgment of their choices. It would have jeopardized the trust that was essential to providing the best possible care. They were already so vulnerable. You simply don't pick at someone when they are compelled to such extreme exposure. If you have any issue with that, all it takes is half a second of imagining someone into your own most personal world. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">Caregiving is holy. It is what Jesus does. It is ultimate scut- and servant work. You do the work so intimate that you are bonded by non-disclosure agreements--before there was ever such a thing. You are a living sacrifice, you lay down your life for a friend. There is no greater act of love. (Romans 12:1, John 15:13)</font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">There is a caveat, of course. Since we aren't actually Jesus, we cannot give ourselves wholly in the way He can and does. We do have needs and we do have weaknesses--one of which is an ability to turn caregiving into something unhealthy. How like humanity to twist something so good and holy! But that is what co-dependence and enabling are: perverted caregiving. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">It is important to set boundaries. We must rely on God and direct our patients to do the same. We must keep our eyes on the goal of health, for ourselves and our patients. That plays out in taking care of our own needs and pursuing activities that maintain our full personhood. It means not designing a situation that sets us up as being irreplaceable. For our patients, we must encourage their self-care in the instances that they can carry out the tasks. We must strike the balance of being dependable without creating a false dependence to stroke any personal desires to feel needed. While we may rest comfortably in the role of servant, we cannot allow our identity to be bound up in being any person's provider. We each have one Provider, and trying to step into His shoes is folly best avoided. </font> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Century">Nevertheless, I see caregivers as secret superheroes and feel as though if one were to look long enough, ethereal capes would become visible and flap inaudibly in otherwise imperceptible breezes. Those capes shield their charges and mask the unspoken provision one person is humble-honored to do for another in need. The cape elevates the superhero above the busy distractions of this life to an unseen dominion that reminds us of what life is all about: relationships, interdependence and love. </font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-85358186838347696702014-07-13T13:36:00.001-07:002014-07-13T13:36:45.899-07:00Body beautiful<div>The kids and I were talking about how women are depicted in the media today. In video games, comic strips and other 'drawn' images, a woman's breasts and bottom are enhanced, while every other part is minimized. Flesh-and-blood girls are made to emulate the drawings. We talked specifically about feet and bellies.</div><div><br></div><div>We have studied before how women and girls in China had their feet bound to appear small and attractive--and effectively disabling the women. Similarly, a sexy woman wears heals that shrink her foot print and leave her less able to move about comfortably or quickly. At the same time, her posture is adjusted to balance on the heals in a way that cause her bottom and breasts to pop out. </div><div><br></div><div>I think the shrinking of the belly is even more profound. Breasts are pleasure bringing. They are gratifying. But all gifts come with responsibility. With the gift of breasts comes the responsibility of a belly. A belly holds the functions of life--the processes of ingestion, digestion and reproduction. These are the responsibilities: to feed and cover the person who brings you pleasure and to raise the children your pleasure produces. When the belly is visually shrunken--dramatically so in drawings, but still significantly in advertisements, fashion and photos of flesh-and-blood women--there is a literal objectification of the woman. She is not human. She cannot even be alive. Without life, the body is reduced to a tool or receptacle. </div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps filling ourselves with these truths will help us to respond with eyes wide open to the visuals that tempt us and they won't be so tempting anymore. Women and girls are not objects for gratification. They are creations who are lovely naturally. They do bring delight and pleasure. But be disgusted at the thought of your mother, sister or daughter being used for pleasure and never offered love or protection. Then remember that every woman is someone's daughter. </div><div><br></div><div>Truth helps us to not fear temptation. Truth is light and we can shine it into the darkness. That light shows the temptation in its fullness--destructive, sad, requiring no more of our attention other than possibly compassion for those caught in the darkness. </div><div><br></div><div>Then we saw this video and it went so well with this lesson. :). I love it when that happens. </div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://youtu.be/GXoZLPSw8U8">http://youtu.be/GXoZLPSw8U8</a></div>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-79696649918052922032014-01-17T04:07:00.000-08:002014-01-17T04:07:00.690-08:00Nerdy<p align="justify"><font size="2">Check out the photo I found on Pinterest below (Don’t you just <em>love</em> Pinterest?). I have a whole board that celebrates nerds. Nerd hasn’t always been an embraceable term, though. When I was growing up, to be called a nerd was pretty disparaging. I took it upon myself to do the eighth-grade essay-hack and looked up the word on Dictionary.com. Even though I knew there would be unfavorable points, I was shocked at number one: “a stupid, irritating, ineffectual, or unattractive person.” Wow. Number two is slightly less insulting: “an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit.” The kindest sentiment and seeming only saving grace was from the proverbial mother advising her girl to be kind to the nerds, since they will be rich one day. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GkTFD61eWCE/Us9JVzzYlfI/AAAAAAAABs0/4o3ITc1mX-U/s1600-h/nerds%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="nerds" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 5px 10px 5px 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="nerds" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UXhR2cY0pSU/Us9JXPEq4RI/AAAAAAAABs8/qvCBdIVbCnw/nerds_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" align="left" height="488"></a>Thankfully, our progressive society has cultivated a more enlightened perspective on the formerly beleaguered nerd. New definitions have popped up, <font size="2">some I much prefer over others.</font> This picture is my most favorite definition. I find it to be inspiringly beautiful and liberating. Fantastic, yes?</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I have to say, my entire family is a collection of nerds. Our bookshelves and DVD collections would betray us if we were ever trying to mask it. Our shelves sag under books exploring apologetics, science fiction, fantasy and trivia. We own every superhero movie ever made (well, maybe not, but it sure seems like it). My daughter has had to devise a new laugh just to express her near inexpressible joy at her various ‘nonsocial hobbies and pursuits.’ My son practically vibrates when he can nitpick the techno-babble of his favorite shows. An example is when, in episode 4 of Doctor Who, “Aliens of London,” news crews announce a crashed UFO, my son is quick to point out that the ship is in fact identified, and very much not flying, so it is pretty much just an O. This tickles him to no end. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I posted on Facebook earlier this week how my husband and kids got into a rather detailed discussion about the differences between zombies and mummies. Much to my surprise, my sister and niece both popped in to <em>enhance</em> the conversation! I can’t escape! </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">But, when I look at it from the perspective of the quote above, I must wonder. What could be better than being surrounded by nerds? I <em>want</em> to be enthusiastic about life! How boring to be too cool to really get into the things that might excite you. With that as an alternative, give me a life-full of nerds any day!</font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-40747115687112339622014-01-16T06:09:00.000-08:002014-01-16T06:09:00.070-08:00Don’t Stop Learning<p align="justify"><font size="2">I’m kind of a nerd. I like words a lot. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N4faASR-0-0/UsydHBkJ_nI/AAAAAAAABrk/_LfyNhmCVTE/s1600-h/iPhone%2525204%252520pictures%252520944%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="iPhone 4 pictures 944" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 2px 0px 2px 8px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="iPhone 4 pictures 944" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0k_dvhmaIU4/UsydILLrZ4I/AAAAAAAABrs/r-2sp6KJcho/iPhone%2525204%252520pictures%252520944_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="272" align="right" height="384"></a>Grammar jokes tickle me to an extreme. It is embarrassing, really. I own and wear this shirt. And I laugh every time I read it. I am that big of a nerd. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"></font> </p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I think most people have pet peeves. I think nerds have their own set of pet peeves. Or maybe not. Maybe it is just me. Either way, this is my nerdy pet peeve. “You use big words. Stop it! I don't want to learn them. I want to be simple. Not high falutin’”</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I get this more than I like. And I obey. I try to use words that are less exact because I don’t want to get yelled at for using a more beautiful and precise word that the hear-er may not know or like. But on the inside….</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"> <br>So, you are done learning ?!?!?<br>But you are alive! Why? I can think of two options. First, you have more to learn and there is a possibility that you might need to acquire new words to allow for and to express more mature or broader thoughts, ideas and concepts. The other option is that you truly have no more to learn beyond what you absorbed in high school and you are here only to apportion your prodigious and amaranthine knowledge on the world. Those big scary words that you don’t like to use aren’t words that you don’t know; you just like to be approachable to the bourgeois class. You are a magnanimous philanthrope !</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">I know it would be wrong for me to try to judge which of these options is reality in your individual case, so I’ll leave it to you.</font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-47383425465478293782014-01-15T06:24:00.000-08:002014-01-15T06:24:00.129-08:00Running<p align="justify"><font size="2">There is this fantastic little smart phone app for which I am so thankful. It tacks your running, walking or cylcling miles and donates money per mile to charities of your choice. It means a lot to me to find a way to give to organizations while I meet my personal goals. On hard days, Charity Miles is the only thing that gets me out the door. <br>March 9, 2012 I decided I needed to get healthy. I was facing increasingly serious health issues because of my weight; the most devastating was the invisible problem of depression. So I got moving. By September I lost 75 pounds and regained my sense of self, renewed health and energy, plus an uncontainable joy and enthusiasm for life that I thought was gone forever. <br>But I have a new problem that is really an old problem. When I was 14, I started fainting. I have a dual diagnosis of extremely low blood pressure and an autonomic nervous disorder. Both cause me to faint, and the weight loss lowered my blood pressure to such an extreme that I was fainting nearly every day. <br>It hasn't been easy to find the perfect balance of medicine, exercise and living a 'normal' life. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">It has all been worth it to discover this new self. I am an "I can" person now. For almost two decades I "I can't"-Ed myself through life. I hid and escaped in fear and embarrassment. I gained weight and further disabled myself.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">That has changed. I am better now. I can. I can do so much more than I ever thought. Unfortunately I had a major set back in December and I feel as though I am clawing myself back to what I had.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Running is SO HARD!! With my blood pressure, it risks fainting and drop in my core temp, and my joints just started protesting recently. But I am learning that so hard isn't too hard. I am learning that obstacles aren't barriers. And I am learning that just because I look ridiculous doing it, doesn't mean I <em>can’t</em> do it. like being able, even if I look like an idiot and have no class or flair. :)</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Here’s a <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/what-you-think-you-look-like-vs-what-you-actually">good laugh</a> on the same vein. I may not look as awesome as I think I do, but it truly isn’t reason enough to quit! I can’t figure out how to give proper credit to this picture. I can’t find the original website or anything.</font></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UVo5fAHqQHY/UsySU00PjPI/AAAAAAAABrM/3gh7lPP5X3c/s1600-h/3627a02cb2b20d26fd277b72c1d18031%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="3627a02cb2b20d26fd277b72c1d18031" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="3627a02cb2b20d26fd277b72c1d18031" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Drj-jPyrepg/UsySVtTaBLI/AAAAAAAABrU/RUwSR0pXgfQ/3627a02cb2b20d26fd277b72c1d18031_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="341" height="835"></a></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161003143960086175.post-52002015417446904902014-01-14T06:45:00.000-08:002014-01-14T06:45:00.947-08:00A bit snotty<p align="justify"><font size="2">I had a lady fuss at me a while ago because I fussed at her. Isn’t that the way with things? I complained about not getting enough time with her. She told me I had no right to put such demands on her. I was making trouble. She insisted that real friends can go weeks and months without seeing each other and still be friends. Why was I being so difficult?</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">So, I was a good girl. I let it go. No more fussing from me. No more audacious demands. I help my tongue and resumed my proper station. But this is what I thought on the inside.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">You think you can stick a pin in me and expect I'll be there when you have time for or need of me. You call this a great friendship because everything is just the same after long stretches of neglect. Yep. It's the same, all right. We live absent any interdependence or any real need to know what's going on in one another's life. That isn't friendship. That isn't family. That's a nice acquaintanceship and you can have it.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">So, that isn’t very nice, but there is something to my opinion. I think there are two kinds of friends. There are the ones I like to call camp pals. These are the ones described in all the cute ecards that talk about great friends who can spend tons of time apart, but when they reunite, they pick up right where they left off. I see people romanticize this notion in our society, these occasional friends who can give you a much needed belly laugh. I have quite a few of these friends myself and I adore them and thank God for them. But they are vacation or retreat friends. You drop out of real life to reconnect. The phrase often used to describe them actually reveals a lot: ‘like no time has passed.’ The friendship isn’t about growth or maturity. When you get together, it is a great time to stop striving so hard and just be a kid again. You might talk about your life and trials with this person, but it is just talk. You need the other type of friend if you want a companion who will go through those trials with you.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5I81w-ulXVE/Us2SYI4yoKI/AAAAAAAABsI/s3dZE690jNY/s1600-h/34ee550f3b59ea896d636ec5fb4e89ce%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="34ee550f3b59ea896d636ec5fb4e89ce" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 5px 10px 5px 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="34ee550f3b59ea896d636ec5fb4e89ce" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-msBEcTVY_7M/Us2SYwyWq1I/AAAAAAAABsQ/WhqMNbFtz60/34ee550f3b59ea896d636ec5fb4e89ce_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="317" align="left" height="341"></a>That other type of friend is the roadside walker, the day-to-day companion. This one knows about the daily grind—the good, bad and <em>boring</em>. This friend inconveniences herself to keep up with you, and joins you in the things that keep you from meeting more regularly with your camp pal. You don’t drop everything to take a break from life to be with the roadside walker; on the contrary, you pick up each other’s lives together and carry on. You don’t have to get yourself together before you can spend time with this person. She comes without judgment and you just keep on keeping on.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2">Sometimes a friend can migrate from camp pal to roadside walker, or vice versa. When a roadside walker becomes a camp pal, it is often because of a geographical move or a major change in lifestyle. There is a sense that if you were still able, the camp pal would revert to road walker in an instant. My problems arose because I let my feelings get hurt when a companion friend I saw four or five times a week decided we were going to be camp pals who had no plans to see one another at all. I guess I have to learn to be a little more ‘cool’ about such things. </font></p> Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05744730126560539317noreply@blogger.com0